Clock resetting device



B. CHAPMAN Nov. 10, 1931.

CLOCK RESETTING DEVICE Filed May 14 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l avwamb oz Ber-i C A (I m a n. Wot/mug Nov. 10, 1931. B. CHAPMAN CLOCK RESETTING DEVICE Filed May 14. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q-nvemtoz [0 m a. Y).

B e rt C h a 351 771.5 Gum/" Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BERT CHAPMAN, OF ENDIOOTT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T INTERNATIONAL TIME RE- CORDING COMPANY OF NEW YORK, OF ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, A COBZPORATION OF NEW YORK CLOCK RESETTING DEVICE This invention relates to clocks and more particularly to a resetting device for resetting clocks to a predetermined starting position. v

For the purpose of clearly disclosing my invention I have shown it as applied to a secondary clock, or in other words a clock which is controlled electrically by a master clock.

ticular description embodying the invention or from an inspection of the accompanying drawings.

Fig. l is a rear elevational view of a secondary clock with my resetting means connected thereto.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the resetting mechanism in an operating position.

- Fig. 3 is a detail view of a latching device.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of a sedondary driving mechanism without the clock face.

Fig. 5 is a detail showing the connection between the clock and restoring mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a. side elevational view of a secondary clock with my device attached.

An understanding of the nature and purpose of my invention may easily be derived from the following specific example. Clocks with resetting means are particularly adapted to hospitals where timing is a great factor. The usefulness of such a clock isespecially adapted in taking pulse beats, temperatures, etc., also for timing purposes, in an operating room. When the temp e' ature or pulse beat of a patient is to be t en by the doctor, simultaneously with the starting of the tak- Application filed May; 14,

1927. Serial No. 191,297.

ing of apulse beat he pulls down a chain, handle or some other means which will return the clock to a redetermined position. The dial of the 0100 instead of having numerals pertaining to hours and minutes will bear information pertaining to seconds and minutes, that is, each actuationthat the clock receives will step the hand around one second. Assuming now that the clock has been reset, the doctor will continue to count the pulse of the patient until the clock designates a certain number of seconds. If he also desires to take the temperature of the person,

he will again pull the chain or handle in a downward direction which will reset the clock to a predetermined position and likewise the clock will disclose the elapsed time in minutes and seconds. It is therefore obvious that my device has unlimited uses, not only in hospitals but also may be used in laboratories or any place where timing is a factor.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4 the operation of the secondary used in conjunction with my resetting mechanism will be described.

The motor power for actuating the secondary unit comprises a magnet 10 mounted in the well known manner in a bracket 11. The magnet 10 coacts with an. armature 12 pivoted 'at 13 and held away from the cores of the magnet by a spring 14. Energization' of the magnet 10 .actuates the arm 12 which has fixed thereto an arm 15,0n which is pivotally mounted at 16 an actuating pawl 17. This pawl normally rests in one of the notches of the ratchet wheel 18 and as soon as thearmature 12 is actuated by the magnet 10 "the pawl moves to the right and en ages in the next or adjacent notch at 1 8. pon deenergization of the magnet 10 the armature 12 returns to its normal position under the influence of the spring 14 rotating the ratchet. wheel 18 the distance of onenotch. A retaining pawl 19 (Fig. 2) biased by a spring 20 is provided to hold the ratchet wheel 18 in the position to which it has been turned by the actuating pawl 17. Associated with the ratchet wheel 18 is the usual clock mechanism including reduction gearing, etc., for

operating spectively.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 for a detailed descri tion of the resetting device. As disclose in Fig. 2 my the hands 21 and21' 6) re- .mechanism comprises a support plate 22 tatably mounted on the end of the shaft 22a is a pinion gear 25, retained thereon by means of a screw 26 inserted in the end of the shaft. Surrounding the shaft 22a is a helical spring 27 anchored at its opposite ends to the sleeve and piniongear at 28 and 29 respectively. By means of the spring 27 a flexible connection is made between the pinion 25 and the shaft 22a. Pivotally mounted by means of a screw 30 to the left side of the support plate 22 as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 is a ratchet wheel 31 and a plate member 32. The plate member 32 includes a cam surface 33, an arm 34 and two li s 35 and 36, respectively. A stepping pawi 37 having two rearward extensions 39 and 40 is pivoted at 38 to the arm 34. One of the rearward extensions 39 carries a chain 41 for engaging the stepping pawl 37 between the notches 43 of the ratchet wheel 31 for actuating the resetting device and the other extension 40 is biased by a spring 42 for disengaging the pawl from between the notches 43 of the ratchet wheel 31 when the chain is released. Integral with the arm 34 on the plate member 32 is a stop 4925 which coacts-with the extension 39 of the stepping pawl 37 when the pawl is re turned to normal position (Fig. 1) by the spring 42.

When the chain 41 is pulled from the posi tion shown in Fi 1 to that of Fig. 2, the

plate 32 is rotate about its pivotal point 30 until the lip 36, acting as a limit stop, abuts the surface 50 of the frame'22. Simultaneously with the releasing of the chain 41 the plate 32 by means of a spring 44 connected to the plate and frame at 45 and- 46 -respectiyely will return the plate to its normal position. A stop 47 is. provided so that when the lip 35 comes in'contact with the stop plate 32 will be held in the position as viewed n Fig. 1. Prior to the lip 35 coming in contact with the stop 47 the other lip 36 will strike the tail 48 of an arm 49 rotatably mounted at its upper end on the pin 30. Also.

mounted on the pin 30 through a slot connection 52 is another arm 49'; The lower end of the.ar m 49" carries a-pin 5lengaging in a slot 53 in the arm 49. Fixed on the clock actuating wheel 18 is a stud 54 which coacts with a latching portion 56 of the arm 49' as viewed. in Fig. 3. Each time the actuating wheel 18 makes a complete revolution in a clockwise direction, the stud 54 engages with the latch 56. Integral with the. arm 49 is a member 57 which abuts against the surface 585 of the frame 22 when the mechanism is actuated to the position shown in Fig. 2, the lip 36 releasin 59a to move t e parts to this osition. In the normal position of Fig. 1 with the lip 36 cooperating with the tail 48 the arms 49 and 49 are held iif their inoperative positions away from the stud 54.

A cam follower 58 having two lifting members 59 and 60 respectively is pivotall mounted to the support plate 22 at 57. X holding pawl 19 biased by spring 20 and hav- 1n ho ding the actuating wheel 18 to the position to which it has been actuated by the stepping pawl 17. The purpose of pin 64 will be described presently.

When the arm 34 is pulled from the osition of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2 by the c ain 41, the cam follower 58 will rise from the position shown in Fig. 1 onto the surface of the cam 33 as shown in Fig. 2. Simultaneously when the cam follower 58 begins to rise from its lower position onto the surface of the cam 33, the lifting members 59 and 60, respectively, will lift the actuating pawl 17 and holding pawl 19 upwardly out of engagement with the actuating wheel 18 as viewed in Fig. 2, allowing the wheel 18 to be turned in a backward or clockwise direction through the ratchet wheel 31 and coacting pinion gear 25 to its normal position.

Reference will now be had to Figs. land 2 for a general description of the operation of my device. As is well known the secondary movement of a clock is actuated intermittently from a master clock. The impulses for actuating the secondary vary but in this' specific case the clock will receive an impulse every second. As previously mentioned we will assume the clock to be installed in a hospital and a doctor wants to take the ulse at of a patient. He will pull the chain 41 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that in Fig. 2. The actuationof this chain will cause the stepping pawl 37' to engage in one of the notches 43 of the ratchet wheel 31 and simultaneously pullthe plate member 32 to the clockwise direction as viewed in 1. When the tail 48 permitting spring a pm 64 fixed thereon is provided for spectively, allowing the actuating wheel through the ratchet 31 and pinion gear 25 to be rotated. The actuating wheel 18 will be allowed to rotate one complete revolution at p which time the stud 54 will be latched by the latching member 56. Normally the spring 59a holds the arm 49' to the right of the position shown in Fig. 3. When the stud 54 strikes the latch shoulder 56 it moves the shoulder and the arm 49 to the osition shown in Fig. 3 against the action 0 spring 59a, this yielding serving to absorb the shock of the impact. Also as the stud 54 approaches the latch shoulder 56 it engages the upper surface of the arm 49 cammmg the latter downwardly until the stud 54 passes beyond the shoulder 49a integral with the arm 49. This shoulder then springs back to the position of Fig. 3 to prevent .rebound action of the actuating wheel 18. When the device is returned to its normal or inoperative position by releasing the chain 41 as shown in Fig. 1, the cam follower 58 will slide ofi thee periphery of the cam 33 allowing the actuating pawl 17 and holding pawl 19 to engage the ratchet wheel 18. The plate member 32 through the medium of a spring 44 will also be returned to normal position. The purpose of the yielding connection' shown in Fig. 5 is to permit the chain 41 to be pulled to its limit, thereby actuating the clock mechanism including the pinion gear 25 also to its limit after the clock mechanism and the sleeve 24 have been locked in their normal positions. It will also be observed that if the pawl 19 is not immediately withdrawn from engagement with the teethjof the ratchet wheel 18, that the spring 27 will be wound until such time when sufficient movement has been given to the camming plate 58 to effect the proper disengagement of the pawl 19 from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18. 1

Viewing .the dial as seen from the back in Fig. 1 the long hand 21 is the seconds hand and the graduations are in increments of one Q second. Each impulse of the clock steps the second hand 21 one graduation or one second.

A complete rotation of this hand thus represents one minute. The'minute or small hand 21 when in the position shown in Fig. 1, presuming that this hand is gearedto the seconds hand on a 12 to 1 ratio, will represent an elapsed time of one minute. One complete strokeof the restoring mechanism is adapted to restore the seconds hand 21 one complete revolution or one minute. Obviously, if the clock has run for several minutes the minute or small hand 21 will register with '10, 15 or is provided between the armature 12 and s the frame member 71 having a spring 72. When the magnet 10 is energized and the armature moves,,into contact with ratchet 18 the spring 72 on the toggle will tend to hold back against the action of the magnet and thus ease the shock with which the armature strikes the ratchet. I

While I have shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification it will be understood that'various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. I intend to be limited there-- fore only as indicated by the scope of the following claims. I

What is claimed is:

1. In an indicating device, an index, means for imparting step by step operating impulses to said index for actuating the same, a gear having a resilient connection with said in dex, an actuating pawl adapted to be brought into cooperation with said gear for actuating the same, means for actuating said pawl into cooperation with said gear .and means for restoring the pawl to a normal or predetermined position.

2. In a clock mechanism, an index, means for actuatin said index, a gear rotatable with said index for driving the same to restore said pointer to a predetermined position, an

actuating pawl brought into operation for actuating said gear, means for actuatingsaid pawl into cooperation with said gear, means for stopping the index in a predetermined restored position, means for preventing rebound of the index and means for return: ing the actuating pawl to normal ,or predetermined position.

3. Ina clock mechanism, an index pointer, means for actuating said index, a pawl for retaining said ointer in actuated position,

means for shifting said pawl thereby releasoperation for, moving the stopping and rebound preventing means into operative position.

4:. In a clock mechanism an index pointer, means for actuating the index pointer, means comprising a pawl for retaining the. index pointer in actuated position, means consisting of a manually operated plate, a pawl carried by the plate, a gear engaged by the pawl having connections to drive said pointer for restoring the latter,v and means controlled by the manually operated plate for releasing the pawl. A

5. In an indicating device having an index and a train of mechanism for imparting step by step operating impulses to said index for actuating the same, in combination a gear associated with said index for restoring the same, an actuating pawl normally out of engagement with the teeth of said gear and adapted to be shifted into engagement with said gear teeth for actuating the gear and means for shifting said pawl into enga egear and or ment with the teeth of said actuating said pawl.

6; In a clock mechanism having an index pointer and means for driving sai index pointer to indicate elapsed time by its position with respect to a normal starting position, a device adapted to be reciprocated to efiect restoration of the index pointer to its -normal starting position, an index pointer rebound preventing means, spring means whereby the rebound preventing means is rendered effective during the movement in one direction of the restoring device, and

means under control of the restoring device for rendering the rebound preventing means ineffective during the movement of the restoring device in the other direction."

. In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

BERT CHAPMAN. 

